Huddlestone focused on Tigers

30 December 2013 06:31

Tom Huddlestone is not anticipating a phone call from England manager Roy Hodgson but would still be happy with his season's work if Hull stayed in the Barclays Premier League.

Huddlestone has emerged as an outside candidate for an international recall since swapping the Tottenham bench for a pivotal role in the Tigers' midfield.

The 27-year-old has been in excellent form, playing every game and establishing himself as the club's primary set-piece taker.

He put in another man-of-the-match display in the stunning 6-0 win over Fulham on Saturday, ending a two-and-a-half year goal drought with a 20-yard strike and hitting the woodwork twice with free-kicks.

That left Hull boss Steve Bruce touting him for a return to the England fold but Huddlestone knows that time is short to make a break for this summer's World Cup squad having last played against Sweden last November.

A more realistic ambition is continuing his Hull form and booking another season in the top flight.

"It's not particularly in my thoughts.obviously Roy Hodgson has said that he's seen everybody who's in contention," he said.

"It would be the icing on the cake, if we stayed up and I managed to get back in the England squad, but first and foremost is getting results like we did against Fulham and staying in the Premier League.

"Forty points is usually the benchmark and we're on 23 now so we're well on course for that. Hopefully we get to that as soon as possible and kick on from there."

Huddlestone's goal saw him receive a pitch-side haircut from physio Rob Price, delivering on a promise not to trim his afro until he found the net.

When he made the pledge, to raise funds for Cancer Research UK, he cannot have envisaged it would be so long coming but is glad to have it out of the way.

"That celebration has been planned for 18 months! It was planned from the beginning of last season and it was just about finding the opportunity to do it.

"I think the physio has cut a little bit too much out though. Obviously I can have it however I want now but it's raised a good bit for the charity, which is the main reason behind it.

"I could do with sorting it out before New Year's Day, but if not then I'll sort it out on the next day off that we get."